Eruptions Abound in 'Walking the Volcano'

Walking the Volcano

Written by Jon Lipsky, Directed by Elaine Vaan Hogue; Production Stage Manager, Tom Kordenbrock; Scenic/Lighting Designer, Jon Savage; Costume Designer, Emily Miller; Sound Designer, Liz Walbridge

CAST: Gabriel Kuttner, Paula Langton, Jess Moss, Brian Vaughan

Performances through May 1 at Boston Playwrights' Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Avenue; presented by Playwrights' Theatre at Boston University and Boston Center for American Performance; Box Office 866-811-4111 or www.bostonplaywrights.org

Walking the Volcano is made up of eight short plays written over the years by playwright Jon Lipsky for the annual Boston Theater Marathon. With that in mind, it is a tribute to the compelling characters he created and the honesty expressed in his writing that the vignettes knit together successfully to produce an evening of dramatic, thought-provoking entertainment. Credit certainly goes in no small part to the acting talents of the four cast members, as well as Director Elaine Vaan Hogue, for transforming Lipsky's sixteen imaginary creations into living, breathing people.

In order to augment the playwright's narrative, the director places special focus on the transitions between scenes to give the production an unbroken flow. She employs voiceovers to deliver snippets of news reports and recorded popular music of the era to date stamp each segment. For example, hearing The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix informs us that the play starts in the 1960s, and Richard Nixon's "I am not a crook" speech moves the action into the early '70s. There are references to the Iran hostages, Rodney King, Y2K, and weapons of mass destruction, with the final piece being introduced by news of the shooting in Arizona earlier this year. While it is somewhat surreal to be reminded of all of these watershed moments of recent history, it also has the effect of grounding the stories and characters in our reality

Gabriel Kuttner, Paula Langton, Jess Moss, and Brian Vaughan play multiple roles in the one-act two-handers, pairing off as couples facing diverse challenges in their relationships. The younger duo of Moss and Vaughan are featured in the first four scenes, while Kuttner and Langton share the stage in three of the four scenes after intermission. (Moss pairs with Kuttner once.) Moss, a senior Acting Major at Boston University, more than holds her own with her professional counterparts. She changes her appearance with the help of hairstyles and costumes, but she uses those external trappings to morph from one personality to another, as well. She's equally believable as a tough, gritty combat photographer in Vietnam, a Janis Joplin-esque rock singer, and a former debutante trying to put her life in order. Vaughan is explosive and full of energy, while conveying an undertone of menace as a burnt out war reporter, a coke-head guitar rocker, and a guy in recovery from alcohol and lost love. He and Moss are dynamic together.

Veteran performers Kuttner and Langton play a series of characters that are more worn down by life and less prone to explosions, although they do their share of shouting and expressing frustration with each other. Kuttner puts his hangdog demeanor to good use as a defense against Langton's fiery, but weary manner. They match up beautifully as the couple that loves each other, but can't find a way to be together because of his wanderlust and her need to feel permanence. Two scenes later, although they're playing different characters, it feels like they finally reach an understanding and find some peace, forgiving each other for a situation that was nobody's fault. 

Lipsky captures The Commonality of the human condition in writing these characters, showing how alike they are under their skin despite how different their circumstances or back stories. As they open to each other and lower their defenses to reveal the core of the matter, they take their turn walking the volcano, risking their hearts, their souls, and sometimes even their lives.

Lipsky passed away at his Martha's Vineyard home on March 19 after a long illness. Walking the Volcano was his final play.

Photo Credit: Boston Playwrights' Theatre (Gabriel Kuttner, Paula Langton)

 

 

 

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